Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

CHIARA SLOWLY TWIRLED AROUND in front of the mirror while looking at herself. It’s been a long time since she last wore an evening dress. If she recalled it correctly, the last time was during Marco’s birthday celebration.

Her hair is done in a braid-bun style, with some loose hairs dangling on each side of her face. She only have a natural look makeup, which made her plump lips look glossy, and her face looks ethereal under the moonlight.

She slid down her hands on her curves that is evident and being hugged by her dress. It is a black off-shoulder one with big ruffles on top. The end of the dress reached the floor, hiding her silver and glittery ankle strap heel.

She finished her look with drop earrings with a raindrop-shaped diamond crystal on the end. She is also wearing a riviere diamond necklace, paired with a bracelet with the same design.

“You look gorgeous, signora,” Fara spoke while clapping, and her eyes fixated on Chiara. She bent to get Chiara’s silver purse with black lining.

Chiara smiled. “Thank you, Fara. You did a good job.”

The two walked down to the first floor of the safe house. They are not even in the lowest part of the stairs but Chiara can already hear her husband’s voice.

“Make sure I look good,” he said using his authorative voice that Chiara only hears from him when he is giving orders. “I have to be perfect for my cara.”

Chiara couldn’t help but to smile at her husband’s words. She wanted to surprise him when she was already near to him, but her heels are making noise that Ezio turned to his back before she could even reach the floor.

She saw how Ezio’s eyes dilated when he saw her. His lips even parted while looking up and down at her body. Victor, who was helping him with his suit, needed to adjust his position just to make his clothing better.

“Cara,” he spoke when he was able to compose himself.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Good evening, tesoro,” she replied while walking towards him. She gave him a quick kiss on his cheeks, before looking at his appearance. “You look handsome.”

Ezio smiled at her compliment. He was wearing a black tuxedo paired with black leather shoes. His hair was neatly combed towards the back. His facial hair was also freshly shaved, giving him a younger and cleaner look.

The assistant and maid guided them to the Lamborghini Urus S they are going to use. Luigi was waiting beside the car, wearing a formal suit because he is their designated driver for tonight.

Gabriel and other bodyguards are also waiting beside the other five cars they will use. Ezio wanted to make sure that Chiara is secured at all times, especially that they will be facing Giovanni in an event after months.

Chiara still have no idea who Giovanni’s date will be, but she is sure that Caterina was right when she said that it is not Monika. She called Monika a day after the event and her friend confirmed that she was in France and wouldn’t be back for almost two weeks.

She didn’t know how long they have been driving towards the event place, because she was too focused on thinking what will happen, and also, staring at her gorgeous husband.

“Let me help you, cara,” her husband spoke as he extended his arms for her to reach. Chiara smiled – he is really a gentleman.

“I’m gentle only to you, cara,” he said as if he was able to read his wife’s mind. He gave her a killer smile before his hand travelled towards her waist, telling other male species that she is his.

They walked towards the entrance of Soleira, a resort for elites and billionaires of Italy. It is the first one in the capital, and elites are now eyeing on reserving such glamorous place.

They talked to other attendees, mostly about business and Ezio’s recovery. More people swarmed towards them as they noticed Ezio and Chiara. Men are focused on entertainment and conversing with Ezio, while their wives showed interest to Chiara.

They have already talked to a lot of people, but they haven’t seen Giovanni or his shadow anywhere. It’s either he hasn’t arrived yet or he doesn’t have the intention to attend. Nevertheless, they still remained vigilat because he can arrive at anytime.

After several minutes of speeches and messages, the ribbon cutting part is now commencing. The owner of Soleira, Rafael Corsi, cut the ribbon that signifies the opening of their new business. Afterwards, the attendees slowly entered the lobby of the main building of the resort.

Drinks and courses were served to the guests while the host is entertaining each of them. It was peaceful and enjoyable, the classical musics from La Triviata are playing in the background.

After the last music, Chiara can clearly hear the murmurs and whispers of the people inside the resort. She hid herself by turning towards her husband whose eyes are on the entrance of the hall. Chiara cannot help but to smile – their plan starts now.

“Isn’t she the one who just lost her husband?”

“Husband? You mean Marco Leon?”

“That’s Mrs. Leon, right? Is she invited?”

“I heard her husband was stuffed in a drum.”

“Oh my, poor thing. May he rest in peace.”

“Her husband’s a murderer.”

“I heard that her husband attempted to assassinate someone.”

“He deserves it.”

Although Sophia wanted to slap every single person who badmouthed her husband, she remained composed and the gentle smile on her face remained.

Slowly and elegantly, she walked towards the host of the party. With an angelic voice, she spoke. “Thank you for inviting me, Signor Rafael. I hope you and your business to be a success.”

Rafael’s eyes glistened as he looked at Sophia. “No worries, mi amica! You’re always welcome here.”

Those business people who wanted to get close to Rafael and his business, intervened. “Signor Rafael, don’t you know who this woman is?” a man expressed his disgust for Sophia. “Her husband is a murderer!”

“That’s right!” another man agreed to the first man. “Who knows if she is his accomplice? We can’t have a murderer in our circle!”

Rafael was quick to defend his friend. “That claim wasn’t even proved! How dare you accuse my friend!” he exclaimed as he put Sophia on his back. “Those who won’t respect my friend also disrespect me! Then you are free to leave!”

No one dared to offend Rafael anymore. They know his connections in and out of Italy, and getting to his bad side will not benefit them. Besides, all of them in this event have the intention to be one of Soleira’s partner.

Rafael’s sister, Ruby, tried to ease the tension by diverting the attention of the guests. She showed them a presentation of the rooms and facilities inside the resort. It successfully brought back the lively atmosphere in the room, but the guests still cannot forget the fact that Sophia is there.

Suddenly, Chiara felt that someone is staring at her. She knew who that person is, so when Sophia walked passed in front of them like a stranger, Chiara spoke.

“Tesoro, I can’t stand the environment here. A murderer’s wife is just nearby,” she said with a volume that is enough to be heard by other guests nearby, including the person they wanted to see their act.

Sophia stopped for a moment. She looked at Chiara and Ezio from head to toe before walking away and ignoring them.

Outsiders who doesn’t know what’s happening will assume that they are not in good terms, and the gossip about it scattered to different people inside the hall, until it reached the ear of the person they targeted.

“Really?” Giovanni asked his date while twirling the wine in his hand. “They must have a beef between each other. I wonder what that is.”

His eyes landed on the woman wearing a black dress, standimg beside her husband who is supposed to be dead if his men aren’t dumb enough in holding a gun.

Isadora, his other mistress, replied to him as she touched his chest. “Hmm, pretending to know nothing, I see, ” she whispered before biting his earlobe.

Giovanni chuckled at her statement. Between all of his mistresses, Isadora is the roughest and the most feisty one. She’s good at everything, and that includes in bed.

She can be trusted with his deepest secrets, she even knew about his attempts to kill Ezio, and sometimes helped on executing his plans.

“I’ll play them for a little bit,” he spoke before drinking the wine in one go. “Wanna join, mia principessa?”

Isadora giggled, excited to humiliate their rival, especially Chiara. She’s annoyed at the facts that other businesses recognized Chiara even if she was just a substitute for her husband. She was able to make a good name for herself in a short time, something that Isadora cannot do.

On the other hand, Chiara noticed that the two are walking towards them. Her husband instinctively pulled her closely by the waist, grabbing her from danger.

“Such a possessive move, Signor Ezio,” Giovanni spoke as his eyes landed on Ezio’s hand on Chiara’s waist. Then he smiled smugly. “Maybe you didn’t know that your wife was seducing someone behind you back.”

The last sentence he spoke made the guests turned their head towards them. Other people looked at Chiara with judging eyes, while others were confused.

“You must have such huge ears to hear a unique gossip, Mr. Giordano,” Chiara replied instead of her husband. “Unfortunately, the news you have is fake. Just like your face.”

Guests whisperes to each other. It is not out of their knowledge that Giovanni underwent a face surgery to achieve a better face. It was a topic years ago and Giovanni made a lot of effort to put the news down, but it was brought up so easily just now.

Giovanni smiled and ignored her remark before looking at Ezio. “I’m sure you’re not aware that your wife has been trying to come back to her ex-boyfriend. I saw them being intimate with each other.”

He was trying to push Ezio’s button, but Ezio was so secured by his wife’s love that he wasn’t affected by his words. He remained in a poker face while caressing his wife’s skin.

“You saw them? Really?” he asked with a mocking tone. “You were in prison for more than a month. I wonder where you saw them. In jail?”

Whispers became louder and a lot of people gasp upon hearing Ezio’s statement. No one knew that Giovanni was sent to prison.

“Maybe that’s why he wasn’t seen for a long time.”

“He was in prison? How many time was he sent to prison for the last years?”

“I wonder what he did this time.”

“He was a criminal yet he has the guts to put a dirty image to the Vitali?”

“He even dared to make Mrs. Vitali a cheater!”

Hearing the people talking about him in a bad way, Giovanni cannot help but to feel annoyed. This wasn’t his plan.

Suddenly, Isadora spoke with her eyebrow raising. “How dare you talk to Giovanni like that? Apologize to him!” her finger pointed firmly to Ezio.

Chiara slapped Isadora’s finger away. “You don’t have the right to make my husband apologize,” she stated firmly. “Giovanni is the one who startes this mess by making false accusations about me. Did he even apologize?”

“Do not intefere our conversation!” Isadora screamed at her.

Chiara laughed at her confidence. “You are the one who must be removed to this conversation,” she responded. “I don’t even know why you’re here. You’re not Giovanni’s wife, as far as I can remember.”

Chiara smirked upon dropping another thing that can humiliate the two of them. Just after she said that, people especially those who are married eyed on Giovanni.

“That’s not his wife? Why did he bring her here?”

“She must be his mistress! What else could be the reason?”

“How ironic of him to paint Signora Chiara as a cheater, if he himself is one.”

A lot of guests gossiped about it, making Giovanni’s ear turned red in anger. He was about to scream at Chiara for humiliating him when they heard a loud thud and a scream from an area.

Guests turned there heads towards the sound. Everyone’s hands flew to their gaping mouth as they saw a woman on the floor, bleeding and unconscious.

As the people around them scattered to look for help, Chiara looked up on the floors of the building.

On one floor, she saw a woman running away from the railings. Not far from the woman is an unknown man hugging and protecting Chiara’s friend, Ms. Coppola.